WWE Shake Up Part 2: RAW to Smackdown

Here were in Part 2 of the WWE Shake Up! Today we are looking at Superstars shipped from RAW to Smackdown.

Byron Saxton (Commentator)

U.S. Champion Kevin Owens

Sami Zayn

Primo and Epico (The Shining Stars, Tag Team)

Jinder Mahal

Tamina

Charlotte Flair

Sin Cara

Rusev and Lana

The New Day

…As expected, KO and SZ are a package deal. LOL. Sami Zayn had been the subject of rumors to be going to Smackdown since the draft last year. Now that it’s official, he can be properly developed. KO was hugely successful on RAW.

Right off the bat, AJ Styles was confirmed to remain on The Blue Brand. He will be involved in a triple threat match with Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn for the #1 Contender spot vs. whoever the U.S. Champion will be after Payback.

Speaking of: D-Bry came out to confirm what I assumed would be the case with the IC and U.S. titles: Dean Ambrose and KO will defend their titles at Payback, which apparently will be cross-brand. Presumably both will retain so the announcement is just to clarify things.

…Tamina joining Smackdown is AWESOME. She was a Monster Heel when she first came to WWE several years back. She was a part of the Team B.A.D. stable two years ago alongside Naomi and Sasha Banks two years ago. Tamina being back can only mean good things for the Smackdown roster. As expected, Charlotte and Alexia Bliss swapped places more or less. It was a surprise Sasha Banks was not announced given Boston is her hometown (though she lives in Los Angeles on that note LOL).

Sin Cara and Rusev were announced as joining Smackdown from RAW offcamera. Lana was not mentioned but she will be joining her husband. Lana was apparently roughed up by TSA employees at Logan Airport in Boston and this is likely why the pair did not appear in person on Smackdown. With Simon Gotch gone, it looks like WWE Creative is going to make Aiden English a solo superstar. Gotch was released by WWE last week as previously announced.

The New Day was announced as coming to Smackdown as predicted. They were announced as “Coming Soon”, presumably after Kofi Kingston returns after being injured last week.

…That’s it for this week but there is certainly the possability more swaps will be announced over the weeks leading to Payback. Only time will tell.